'Ballon d'Or Winner 2024': Hammers Fans Drool Over Youth Prospect After Stellar Cup Display

West Ham thumped bottom of the football league Macclesfield Town 8-0 to book their place in the fourth round of the Carabao Cup, but among all the goals it was 20-year-old Grady Diangana who stole the limelight with a brace on his senior debut for the club.

Winger Diangana scored the Hammers' seventh and eighth goals to record the club's biggest win since beating Bury 10-0 back in 1983 and fans took to Twitter to express their joy that the youngster seized his opportunity to shine under Manuel Pellegrini. 

Manuel Pellegrini praised Diangana for his performance and the Chilean, who won this competition twice with Manchester City, was also pleased with his side for adopting a ruthless attitude against lowly Macclesfield Town.

"I'm pleased for him because the only thing I demand from young players is when they get the opportunity to take the opportunity. He did really well," said Pellegrini, via Sky Sports.

"He's a young player and he must improve on a lot of things to be a top player, but he's working hard and doing well and if he continues with the personality he showed today I think he will improve a lot."

After Michail Antonio opened the scoring on Wednesday night, the floodgates opened for West Ham. Robert Snodgrass grabbed two goals, Lucas Perez netted and defenders Angelo Ogbonna and Ryan Fredericks also got on the score sheet before Diangana's brace capped the scoring.

West Ham welcome an unsettled Manchester United team on Saturday and many fans will be eagerly awaiting the team news to see if it features their 20-year-old prodigy after more than justifying his case for a place in the West Ham squad.